Tank gauge



N. Nl FREUND July 23, 1940.

TANK GAUGE Filed Aug. l24. 1959 I II'II,

3 1 vuc'm fon IV. Mir zuid Patented July 23, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TANK GAUGE Nicklaus N. Freund, McHenry, Ill. Application August 24, 1939, serial No. 291,763

5 Claims.

This invention relates to a device for determining the kind and nature of substances in the bottoms of tanks, such as water in the bottom of an oil tank, or any other material which will settle from the oil to the bottom, or the equivalent.

It is particularly aimed to provide a construction adapted to be lowered into the liquid within the tank in an open position and to automatically close upon", striking the bottom so that a portion of the contentsof the tank adjacent the bottom may be withdrawn for inspection and determination. f l

The more sp'ecic objects and Vadvantages will ,become apparent from a consideration of the description following taken in connection with accompanying drawing'illustrating an operative embodiment.

In said drawing:

Figure l is a view in elevation showing the improved device;

Figure 2 is a substantially central longitudinal sectional view through the device, with the parts in position to receive a portion of the material to be removed from the tank;

Figure 3 is a View substantially similar to Figure 2, but with the parts in closed position for removal from the tank, and

Figure 4 is a detail elevationshowing the cage of the valve member at a right angle to the position of Figure 2.

Referring specifically to the drawing wherein like reference characters designate like or similar parts, the device employs a barrel generally designated I0 and consisting of upper 'and lower tubular sections II and l2, separably connected together by a coupling I3, preferably threaded to the sections as at I4. By having the sections separable, various parts of the device may be inserted and removed from the barrel. The coupling I3, preferably has one or more radial vvents as at I5, so that air may escape from the same.

Lower section I2 preferably has one or more windows as at I6 covered with 'transparent material such as glass, Celluloid, synthetic resin or the like at I1, sealed in place by means of watertight joints at I8.

The lower section I2 has a valve opening I9 in its lower end wall 20, which is tapered as'shown to form a valve seat.

Said seat I9 is adapted to be closed by a valve member 2l carried by a slidabie tubular stem 22 located longitudinally of the barrel and having at its upper end, a bifurcated cage 23.

Said cage 23 is located within a thimble 24 slidable within the barrel and detachably screw threaded as at 25, to a suspending element26, passing slidably through an opening 21 in the top or head 28 of the upper section II.

Said thimble adjacent the lower end, and on the interior, has arcuate inwardly extending flanges or shoulders as at 29. The cage at vthe upper end as at 3i) has outwardly extending flanges, which may be arcuate as shown, the shoulders 29. v

Pivoted to the cage 23 as on transverse screws or other pins 3l are trip members 32 which are engaged at their upper ends by contractile ends or hooks 33y of a bracket of resilient material fastened as at 34 to the cage. yThe actionl of the` spring members 3l) spreads thelower ends of the trip members so that they will resten the shoul-` ders 29 asshown in Figure 2. Because of Such action, the valve 2l will normally be retained in open position. I

A retracting member primarily in the form of a slidable rod 35 passes centrally through the stem `disposed in line with` 22, valve 2l and lower portion of the cage 23 and of the cage 23.

Presumingoperation, a cord, cable or the like is connected in an eye 3l at the upper end of the suspending element 26 and the device is lowered as a whole into the barrel having the liquid or material to be withdrawn. Such device is lowered and the lower end of the rod 35, which extends below the barrel section I2, will strike the bottom of the tank or other receptacle, and material adjacent such bottom will enter the barrel through the opening I9. Such contact of the lower end of rod 35 with the tankwill result in upward movement of the rod while downward movement of the barrel continues andhence the head v3I will pass between the upper ends of the trip members 32, retracting them off of the shoulders 29 as in Figure 3, whereupon the valve 2| will be released or free to slide downwardly into closing engagement with the seat or opening I9, retaining a quantity of the material adjacent the bottom of the tank, within the barrel. The openings I5 enable the escape of any air which is trapped behind or with material retained in the barrel. The closed position of the valve is shown in Figure 3, as well as the retracted position of the trips 32.

Various changes may be resorted to provided a barrel, a thimble slidabl'e in the barrel adapted for connection of a suspending element thereto, an entrance opening at the lower end of the barrel, a valve operable toA close s-aid opening, means connection of a suspending element thereto, an o entrance opening at the lower endk ofthe barrel,

a valve operable to close said opening, meansy ,as--l v sociated with the valve including trip mechanism engageable with the thimble'to hold the valve in 'K open position, means extending below the barrel displaceable through lowering of the barrel to retract the trip mechanism so that the valve may close said opening, ysaid trip mechanism comprising aY pair of trip members, spring means urging spreading of said `members at their lower ends', said thimble having interior 'shoulders engageable by the spread trip members. ,l 'i

3.1A, device of the class Ydescribed comprising a barrel, a rthimble-'slidalole in the barrel adapted for connection of a suspending element thereto, an entrance opening at the lowerv end of the barrel, a valve operableto close said opening, means associated with the avalve including trip mechanism .engageable with thethimble to hold the Valve inopen position, means extending below the barrel .displaceable through lowering of the barrelV to Yretract the tripl mechanism so that the valve `mayv-close said opening, saidvbarrel, being sectional, a coupling connecting Vthe sections, and said coupling having anopening for the escape of air from the interior of the barrel.

4. A device of the class described comprising a barrel, a thimble slidable in the barrel adapted for Connection of a suspending element thereto, an

entrance opening at the lower end of the barrel, a v

Valve 4operable to close said opening, means assof `ciated with the valve including trip mechanismv engageable with the thimble ltozholdthe Valve in open'position, means extending below `the barrel displaceable through lowering of the barrel to retract/the trip mechanism so that the valve may close said opening, and said barrel having a wabarrel, a thimble slidable within the barrel detachably connected to said suspending element, a

cage within the thimble, a valve suspended fromA lthe cage adapted for closing engagement with said opening, ysaid thimble having inwardly ex-n tending shoulders, trip members pivoted to the cage,v spring means adjacent' the upper endof the tripl members urging spreadingl thereof vat their lower ends so as to' engage said shouldersV to hold the valve in openposition, a` rod slidable within the Valve having. a head within thel cage, said rod extending belowthe barrel so that it may be moved upwardly to spread the trip members to,

disengage said shouldersy ,and permit v'closing movement of thefvalve. .o

NiCKLoUs 'NQ i 

